


exit(/in), pursued by a swan

by mearcats



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Flirting, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Musician Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 22:18:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9036845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mearcats/pseuds/mearcats
Summary: A post-Dust Storm AU. A rising talent in Nashville, Killian Jones locks eyes with Emma Swan from across the room. There’s instant chemistry, but he’s still nursing the heartbreak that brought him here, and she’s fresh out of an engagement. Just maybe it’ll turn out differently this time, though…





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [captainswanismyendgame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainswanismyendgame/gifts).



It’s an odd thing, Killian realizes, being so at home in a bar when you don’t drink. But here he is, all pre-show nerves and adrenaline, still with that undeniable sense of belonging even through the stress.

He tells himself he doesn’t need a beer to get him through this, that it’ll be fine without it. On some level he knows it will be—it’s been a year since he turned back to his music, and now he’s here _headlining_ this show.

He takes a deep breath to steady his racing heart and runs his fingers through his hair before replacing his beanie.

He’s ready.

++++

Emma is enjoying herself, even if it’s a million degrees in this godforsaken city. Okay, that’s probably an exaggeration, but it’s definitely not New York or Boston, and she probably could have done without the heavy leather jacket.

The beer is some local brew, and the music is phenomenal. Really, that was one of the draws when it came time to decide to move here. (That and the thousand miles between Nashville and Boston, a thousand plus solid miles between her and that fucker Walsh. How _dare_ he cheat on her when he was the one who had proposed and wanted to “build a life together.” Fucking fuck.)

She’s a little surprised at how much fun she’s having even on her own. Mary Margaret has been badgering her to go out and meet people, give them another shot, and Ruby has been telling her to go out and get some. (“Emma, it’s like I’ve always said. The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”)

This is supposed to be a petty thumbing of the nose to both of them—following their wishes to the letter but disregarding the spirit of their nagging. Mary Margaret would _hate_ Exit/In, and Ruby would protest that “get some” wasn’t in reference to beer.

Whatever. The music is nice, and if this is just the warm-up, then this Killian Jones will probably be amazing.

++++

He’s most of the way through his set when he sees her, and it’s a little bit like stepping into the bright sun after being inside for days. He blinks, glad he doesn’t have to sing for a few more moments. He’s not sure he could.

Killian has the wonderful, sinking feeling that he’s doomed.

When she meets his eyes, he goes weak in the knees. He determines then and there that he’ll do everything he can to leave with her phone number tonight.

++++

Holy _shit_. Not only is Killian Jones an amazing musician, he may also be one of the hottest men she’s ever seen.  

She briefly wishes she had worn one of her dresses and had ditched the glasses, but _c’est la vie_. Besides, he doesn’t seem to mind, if the look on his face when they lock eyes during his third song is any indication.

Emma feels a buzz of excitement under her skin when he doesn’t stop glancing over while he finishes his set. She definitely won’t be telling Ruby, but she’s fairly certain she’ll have company tonight. Fingers crossed, anyway.

++++

As soon as he can extract himself after the show, Killian makes his way over to the gorgeous blonde.

She’s watching him approach, and he wracks his brain for the words to say. _God, but he’s rusty at this sort of thing_. He hasn’t dated or tried picking women up very much since he decided sobriety was the best choice for him, so he’s more than a little unsure about how to start this conversation. Well, he won’t shy away from a challenge.

She smirks when he slides into the space next to her at the bar. “Hello, love. Enjoy the show?”

“Definitely enjoyable. But it looks like you got hot and sweaty,” she says, giving him an appraising look. “Can I buy you a drink?” Her voice is low and sultry and he _melts_.

“Ah. I, er, actually don’t drink.” He tries to resist the urge to scratch behind his ear. Killian prays she won’t find it off-putting that he’s not drinking.

“Oh! You’re not, like, twenty, are you?” She looks embarrassed, and he rushes to reassure her.

“No, no! Nothing like that. Definitely a decade past that. I just used to drink rather too much. If you’d be interested in sharing an appetizer, though…”

“Sure!” She turns to the bartender. “Can we get an order of onion rings and a couple of waters?”

“Thank you, lass. If you don’t mind my asking, could I get a name?”

“Emma. Emma Swan.”

It suits her. “A lovely name for a lovely woman. So...come here often?”

The amused glint is back in her eye and he inwardly rejoices, even if she is laughing at him a little. “Is that really the best you’ve got, Killian Jones?”

“I’m afraid so. I’m woefully out of practice at this.”

“At talking to women?”

“Aye, I’m afraid I’m rubbish at it.”

Emma looks at him, both perplexed and yearning. “How?! I mean, look at you…”

It’s his turn to smirk. “I know. But not nearly so breath-taking as as you, Swan.”

She blushes, but recovers when their onion rings arrive. They fall into easier conversation after that, about what brought each of them to Nashville, their livelihoods, their hobbies. They skirt around their baggage—Killian doesn’t tell her much about Milah, just that it was a destructive weekend with an ex that brought him back to music. She mentions she’s newly single and new in town and leaves it at that.

Killian worries briefly that this is just a reprise of what’s already happened. Two damaged people who barely know each other coming together and just hoping not to fuck each other up even more.

But she smiles at him, and he pushes his apprehension aside—he needs to live in the moment.

His hand brushes hers when he asks if he can get her something else, and he feels the spark of it even when they’re no longer touching. Emma must feel it too, because it’s not long before she laces their fingers together and asks him if he wants to get out of there.

He wastes no time in saying yes.

++++

When he wakes the next morning, he panics for a moment when he finds himself alone in the bed. He stumbles to his feet and makes his way to the kitchen, where he finds her.

Emma is standing next to the coffee machine, wearing his shirt and his beanie from the previous night. She looks adorable and unsure, and she blushes when she sees him.

“Oh, uh, good morning. I made coffee, if that’s okay?”

“More than okay, love,” he says with a smile. He can feel some of the walls protecting his heart crumbling at her vulnerability (and at his palpable relief at seeing her here).

He hopes she says yes when he asks her to stay for breakfast (and maybe lunch and dinner).

She stays the entire weekend.

++++

It’s a good thing she’s gotten used to the whirlwind of life with an up-and-coming musician, Emma thinks.

A weekend with Killian soon turned into spending half their time at each other’s places, and it’s when they find themselves at a farmer’s market together three months in, holding hands and arguing over what kind of lettuce to get that she realizes they’re definitely dating.

He starts to get more attention, too. He plays frequently at Exit/In, and Emma is there the night one of the record labels sends someone to talk about signing him. The number of fangirls increase, but she finds to her surprise that they embrace her, too. She ends up closing her social media accounts, but the pictures of the two of them on his Instagram account get a couple thousand likes in a day.

(Both Mary Margaret and Ruby are very smug that she did indeed find someone new, but the smugness fades into genuine fondness when they meet Killian and see how well he treats Emma.)

She tells him she loves him six months in. He says it back nearly before the words are out of her mouth. She knows he didn’t want to crowd her or rush her, but she’s glad, so glad that it’s out there now.

He asks her to move in with him after eight months. She throws herself into his arms and replies with an emphatic yes.

++++

As of tonight, it’s been a little over a year of having him in her life. She’s so excited, and so unbelievably _happy_. He’s playing tonight at Mercy Lounge, and this may well launch his career beyond anything either of them could have dreamed.

And later, she plans to ask him to marry her.

++++

He doesn’t say yes, because _the bastard beats her to the punch_. He asks her, pulls the ring from his pocket as soon as they’re home from the post-concert celebration.

She says yes, of course, and plans on continuing to say yes to all the adventures their life together promises.


End file.
